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She grinned and crawled her way up the bed until she was next to me. “I’m a terrorist now?”
I pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Nah. You scare the shit out of me, but I give myself over willingly.”
My hand went to the curve of her hip, finding a strip of warm, bare skin. “Is this okay?”
“Yeah,” she breathed. “What about me scares you?”
My thumb brushed over the soft edge of her hip bone. “Everything. You’re so incredibly smart, and so sure of where you’re going. Since I first laid eyes on you, there hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about you. When you said you felt like you’ve known me before, I feel like I’m going to know you forever. And that’s fucking terrifying when I’m not even close to where I want to be yet.”
“I’m not where I want to be yet either, Jude. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone our age who is.”
The tips of my fingers slid under the edge of her shirt until my entire hand rested on her ribs. “Is this okay?”
A sweet gasp escaped her before she nodded. “Did you email Ceri?”
“Yeah.” My hand slid to her back, tucking beneath the strap of her bra. “She emailed me back this morning.”
Tali shoved at my chest, her eyes wide and startled. “How could you bury the lead like this? What did she say?”
“’Cause I can’t really believe it’s real. She didn’t offer us the festival tour—yet. But shedidoffer us a gig at a club in New York in March. She wants to watch us live, make sure she likes us.”
Tali surprised the hell out of me by grabbing my cheeks and planting a hard kiss on my lips. She’d surprised me but didn’t stun me into inaction. I sucked her bottom lip between mine, taking a taste while I had the chance.
“Jude,” she murmured.
“Fuck, Tali, tell me to back off and I will.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine. “Don’t. Not yet.”
I had to be careful with this girl. I knew that. Careful wasn’t in my blood, but I’d damn sure try.
She moved closer, pressing her chest to mine and tipping her chin so our lips grazed. Cupping the back of her head, I angled my mouth over hers and kissed her the way I’d been needing to for months. My tongue was in her mouth, but it was so fucking chaste…or maybe I’d only ever kissed with the objective to fuck before. Normally, I’d be grinding my dick against her and working my way under her shirt or down her pants.
Tali’s lips were plump, fitting with mine like puzzle pieces. Her tongue peeked out and curled around mine in a sensual caress. Kissing Tali wasn’t unlike School Tali. She was just as intense and focused, but instead of being adorable, she turned into a goddess.
My fingers twitched in her hair, eager to move and feel her everywhere, but I held myself back. I didn’t fast forward. The thoughts in my head had never been more clear. This girl was going to change my life.
We pulled apart slowly, reluctantly, but out of necessity. My knuckles went under her chin, tipping her head back so I could have her eyes.
“I was thinking you’re going to change my life, but that’s not right. You’ve already changed it, Stripes. Helping me with the gig, making me want bigger things.”
“I’ll always help the band, even if whatever this thing is between you and I doesn’t work.”
My fingers molded to her jaw. “Don’t say that. Don’t spell out our doom before we even try.”
She pulled away and rolled to her back, eyes on the ceiling. “I’m not. I promise. I’m just a realist. I’m nineteen and you’re on the precipice of something big.”
I leaned over her, making sure it was my face she saw instead of the stars above her. “What if the precipice I’m on is the beginning of you and me?”
She reached up and brushed her fingers against the scruff on my jaw. “That’s a pretty thought, but the future band manager slash festival planner slash record label exec in me really hopes it’s your amazing music career.”
Some of the wind blasted from my sails, and my forehead fell against hers. “Jesus Christ, Tali. Is this gonna turn into some unrequited love shit? Am I gonna be standing outside your window with a boombox, begging for your attention?”
She raised her head from her pillow and licked my bottom lip before leaving a soft kiss. I groaned, and she collapsed, laughing softly. “I’m not an easy girl. I like you, and I’m intrigued by this pull I feel toward you, but I am the thinkiest thinker you’ll ever meet.” Her arms curled around my neck, and she pulled me down so we were chest to chest. “I’m busy and focused on school, but I’m not going to make you beg. Let’s just...see what happens. Okay?”
“I sure as hell like what’s happening right now,” I growled against her neck.
She let out another throaty laugh, and her arms tightened. “Me too.”
